Oscillating sprinkler



Nov. 1, 1966 A. c. STARR OSCILLATING SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 OriginalFiled Nov. 21, 1963 INVENTOR.

k M 7 S c N M A m i M m 7 A Nov. 1, 1966 A. c. STARR OSCILLATINGSPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 21, 1963 e mm V c UnitedStates Patent 3,282,509 OSCILLATING SPRINKLER Albert C. Starr, 260 N.Main St., Nephi, Utah Continuation of application Ser. No. 325,402, Nov.21, 1963. This application Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,731 2 Claims.(Cl. 239242) This is a continuation of my copending US. applicationSerial No. 325,402 filed November 21, 1963 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to lawn sprinklers, and more particularly tosprinklers of the oscillating type.

These so-called oscillating sprinklers in general comprise ahorizontally dispose-d curved tube having spaced orifices therealong fordirecting water in a fan-shaped pattern. A small water turbine is usedto oscillate the tube about a horizontal axis so that the spraytraverses.

a back and forth path distributing the water over a generallyrectangular area. Further, such sprinklers have been provided with meansfor changing the length of the arc through which the tube is oscillated.

While the oscillating sprinkler is considerably more versatile thanprevious designs in that it has the adjustability features abovereferred to, it nevertheless in its conventional form has variousdrawbacks. For example, in order to change the area of coverage, therate of water flow must be varied, with a corresponding variation inwater pressure driving the turbine, causing the sprinkler to oscillateat different speeds. Thus when watering a small area, both the rate ofwater fiow and speed of oscillation are substantially reduced, therebyprolonging the watering process.

It is therefore an object to materially increase the versatility of lawnsprinklers of the oscillating type by providing a plurality of waterdistributing conduits or tubes on a single sprinkler, together withmeans for selectively coupling any one of the conduits to the watersupply, with each conduit having different characteristics whereby theeffective area of water coverage may be changed at will by the selectionof an appropriate distributing conduit.

A specific object is the provision of an oscillating sprinkler having amain delivery conduit and a plurality of distributing conduits havingdifferent water-spraying characteristics, and means for selectivelydirecting the fiow of water through the main conduit into any one of thedistributing conduits, whereby a desired spray pattern may be achieved.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features will more fullyappear from the following specification, claims and accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an oscillating sprinkler embodying myinvention;

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view of the sprinkler taken along line 22of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the valve chamber of the sprinkler showingthe valve actuating mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 3 with the chamber coverremoved; and

FIG. 5 is an end view of the valve chamber taken along line 5-5 of FIG.1.

Referring first particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a sprinkler ofthe oscillating type comprising in general a base upon which a waterturbine housing 12 is supported containing a conventional water turbine(not shown) which need not be described in detail, as it is ofwell-known conventional construction. The opposite ends of the base 10are preferably upturned as at 14 so that the sprinkler may beconveniently slid along the ground. Projecting from one side of housing12 is a nipple 16 pro- Patented Nov. 1, 1966 vided with the usual hosecoupling 18 for attachment to a garden hose or the like 20.

Projecting from the opposite side of housing 12 is a main deliveryconduit or pipe 22 which is oscillatable with respect to the housing,and is driven in its oscillatory path through the mechanical linkagegenerally indicated at 24. Any well-known linkage may be employed, andthat shown includes a link 26 carrying a split sleeve 28 encirclingconduit 22 and clamped thereto by means of a screw 30. The linkage alsomay include an adjustment feature, as is conventional, having anindicating dial 32 which may be rotated to different positions to varythe are through which the conduit 22 is caused to oscillate.

The discharge end of main conduit 22 communicates with the interior of abox-like structure 34 which may be appropriately termed a valve chamberor a distributing chamber. Such is shown particularly in FIGS. 3, 4 and5 and will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Extending fromthe opposite side of chamber 34 are a plurality of distributingconduits, two being shown in the drawings at 36 and 38, although it willbe apparent that more than two may be provided if desired. Theconnections of main conduit 22 and distributing conduits 36, 38 withchamber 34 are rigid, so that all of these parts oscillate in unison.The assembly of these parts is supported for oscillation on suitablebrackets or standards 40 and 42 which are secured to the base 10 in anyconvenient fashion, as by welding or the like. Brackets 40 and 42 aresubstantially identical, each provided with a bearing insert 44. Asshown in FIG. 2, the ends of conduits 36 and 38 may be capped bysuitable sealing gaskets 46 and are supports in counterbores 48 in aplate-like support 50, having a stub shaft 52 projecting therefromjournaled in bearing 44 on bracket 42. A collar 54 is secured to shaft52 adjacent bracket 42 to prevent any appreciable longitudinal movementof the conduits with respect to the bracket.

Each of the distributing conduits, in this case 36 and 38, although moremay be provided, exhibits a series of spaced water escape orifices 56along its length through which water may flow. The orifices preferablyvary in size from conduit to conduit, and in addition the conduits areof different curvatures, as is clearly shown in FIG. 1. Thus the patternof coverage and the amount of water sprayed is determined by theconfiguration and orifice arrangement of the particular distributingconduit through which the water is flowing, which may be selectedconveniently by the structure described below.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show a preferred form of valve means housed in chamber34 which may be employed to selectively open one distributing conduitwhile closing the other. As shown in FIG. 4, conduits 36 and 38 areprovided with open end portions 58 which project slightly through a wall60 of chamber 34, while main conduit 22 terminates in opposite wall '62.Secured to the bottom wall 64 of the chamber is a bearing collar 66within which is seated for rotation a shaft 68 carrying a valve plate 70secured thereto as by welding. On opposite sides of valve plate 70 aredisposed the gaskets 72 and 74 which are adapted to sealingly seatagainst the projecting ends 58 of conduits 36 and 38 respectively.Gaskets 72 and 74 may be bonded or otherwise secured to plate 70, andare made of rubber or other suitable water-impervious gasket material.

Shaft 68 is of a polygonal configuration at its upper end, shown at 76.A valve actuating handle is provided comprising inner member 78 shapedto be received on shaft projection 76, and outer member 80. Members 78and 80 are interconnected by a pair of strip steel spring elements 82and 84 which maybe riveted or bolted as at 86 to the members, as shownin FIGS. 3 and 5. A cover 88 is provided for chamber 34 and is securedthereto as by screws 90, with a gasket 92 under the cover to preventescape of water from the chamber. Rigidly secured to cover 88 are twopairs of convex buttons 94, each pair being spaced apart a distance toaccommodate the handle member 80 therebetween. The strips 82 and 84permit slight yielding vertical movement of handle member 80 so that'itcan be slid over one of the buttons and positioned therebetween to holdthe valve member stationary with one of the gaskets sealingly pressedagainst the projecting end of either conduit 36 or 38.

Thus it can be seen that my improved oscillating sprinkler addsversatility to the constructions in Widespread usage by providing aplurality of separate distributing conduits conjointly oscillated by awater turbine through Well-known linkage, and valve means operable toselectively open one of two distributing conduits to Water flow Whileclosing the remaining conduit. As the conduits are provided withvariously sized and spaced spray or-ifices, and are of difierentcurvatures, almost any size and shape of lawn or garden plot may beeasily conveniently and efliciently irrigated with my sprinkler.

What is claimed is:

1. A lawn sprinkler comprising a base; a pair of bracket means mountedon and upstanding from the base in spaced apart alignment thereon; amain water delivery conduit journale'd for oscillation in one of saidbracket means; a closed Water chamber communicatively coupled to saidmain conduit; a pair of apertured water distributing conduitscommunicatively coupled with said water chamber spaced from said mainconduit and extending generally longitudinally of said base andterminating adjacent the other of said bracket means; support means forsaid distributing conduits journaled for oscillation in said otherbracket, said main conduit, chamber, distributing conduits and supportmeans defining a unitary structure conjointly oscillata'ble about acommon axis; valve means associated with said chamber in flowcontrollingcommunication with said distributing conduits and selectively operableto open one of said conduits While closing the other of said conduits;and motive means coupled to said main delivery conduit for oscillatingsuch conduit and said delivery conduits conjointly.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the valve means in thechamber is in the form of a valve plate shiftably supported within saidchamber in flow-controlling communication with said distributingconduits to open one of said conduits to communication with the chamberto discharge Water therefirom while closing the other conduit, and meansis provided coupled with said plate and operable exteriorly of thechamber to selectively position said plate to open one of said conduitsto communicate with the interior of the chamber for discharge of liquidtherefrom through the conduit while closing the other of said conduitsto the discharge of liquid from the chamber, that face of the plateopposite to the face adjacent to the conduit being exposed to thepressure of the liquid Within the valve chamber whereby the plate isurged toward the end of the distributing conduit closed thereby.

No references cited.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner. V. C. WILKS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A LAWN SPRINKLER COMPRISING A BASE; A PAIR OF BRACKET MEANS MOUNTEDON AND UPSTANDING FROM THE BASE IN SPACED APART ALIGNMENT THEREON; AMAIN WATER DELIVERY CONDUIT JOURNALED FOR OSCIALLATION IN ONE OF SAIDBRACKET MEANS; A CLOSED WATER CHAMBER COMMUNICATIVELY COUPLED TO SAIDMAIN CONDUIT; A PAIR OF APERTURED WATER DISTRIBUTING CONDUITSCOMMUNICATIVELY COUPLED WITH SAID WATER CHAMBER SPACED FROM SAID MAINCONDUIT AND EXTENDING GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID BASE ANDTERMINATING ADJACENT THE OTHER OF SAID BRACKET MEANS; SUPPORT MEANS FORDISTRIBUTING CONDUITS JOURNALED FOR OSCILLATION IN SAID OTHER BRACKET,SAID MAIN CONDUIT, CHAMBER, DISTRIBUTING CONDUITS AND SUPPORT MEANSDEFINING A UNITARY STRUCTURE CONJOINTLY OSCILLATABLE ABOUT A COMMONAXIS; VALVE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CHAMBER IN FLOWCONTROLLINGCOMMUNICATION WITH SAID DISTRIBUTING CONDUITS AND SELECTIVELY OPERABLETO OPEN ONE OF SAID CONDUITS WHILE CLOSING THE OTHER OF SAID CONDUITS;AND MOTIVE MEANS COUPLED TO SAID MAIN DELIVERY CONDUIT FOR OSCILLATINGSUCH CONDUIT AND SAID DELIVERY CONDUITS CONJOINTLY.